Castor oil to start labour?

[Nic165]

Anyone tried it? How much did you take? I'm 38 weeks and been having on and off contractions for a few days, very ready to get the show on the road!

Don't do it!! I was so sick and had upset tummy too, did start my labour off though! I drank the whole bottle with orange juice but my labour was soooo long. Think it's best to just let nature take its course

Good luck

Don’t do it. Very unpleasant.

Ah I don't know what to do! Seems like it works and I'm at the point where id suffer a bad tummy to get things going

I read it's dangerous for the baby and stressed them out. Not worth the risk in my opinion

I took it and I was absolutely fine, put me into labour and she slipped right out after 3mins of pushing! Didn't make me unwell. But I only took quarter of a bottle in orange juice

Look up starting labour with breast massage.

Babies born after 39 weeks do better overall, even though 38 is still considered term. Sometimes they do come early and do just fine - one of mine did - but if your baby isn't ready to come yet, every day it's in there is is developing, why not let it be a little longer?

You shouldn't be looking to deliver at 38 weeks, even though you're feeling really fed up! The contractions you're getting are just your body starting to practice for the real thing, but the real thing could be a few weeks away yet. Every week your baby stays put is an extra week to grow bigger and stronger. Put your feet up and enjoy your last couple of weeks of peace and quiet.

It does not just 'get things going' it causes you to have diarrhoea and horrific stomach cramps for hours and might not bring on labour at all.

if it does bring on labour then with every contraction, you will be shitting yourself, not so great when trying to push a baby out with a midwife standing that end.

Just wanted to add, I absolutely did not shit myself nor did I have stomach cramps or have the shits before. It was the best labour I had, my first one was the worst

Mammaof - I think your experience of Castor Oil was coincidental rather than causative!

Stupid idea op. It can make you feel horrendously ill and doesn't necessarily work. It's also likely to cause diarrhoea (can imagine how fun that would be in labour) and vomitting, both of which lead to dehydration which will exhaust you. So if it does work you could be in for the labour from hell. Just wait.

Oh god, don't do it!

I can't imagine anything worse than dealing with an attack of the shits and early labour at the same time.

Apparently it "works" on the same basis that eats a curry does, ie it stimulates the bowel. I'd rather have the curry tbh, at least it tastes nice even if it doesn't work.

Know someone who did this at 39weeks and it didn't go well. Labour for like 24hours and ended in a csection because baby was distressed and mother weak from dehydration.

Ok sounds like I should just be patient :) I'll give it a miss and let nature take its course

Dangerous!!!! Try clary sage oil bath if you want to try anything. Castor oil can really distress the baby.

My neighbour took castor oil when she went overdue. It gave her terrible diarrhea. She emptied her bowels then immediately afterwards delivered the baby by herself on the bathroom floor.

So no, I wouldn’t say it’s a good idea!

I'd let nature take it's time. Things you could try to encourage the process (which are safe):
Nipple stimulation/hand expressing, bouncing/sitting on a birth ball, walking, sex (assuming not rupture of membranes... none of these are guaranteed to work, but might help make you feel like you are being productive at least.